1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an engine start control apparatus and an engine start control method of controlling and starts an engine of a vehicle through a remote operation by means of a transmitter or operation by means of various switches irrespective of operation of an ignition key.
2. Description of the Related Art
In vehicles such as automobiles, a starter motor is actuated by using a battery installed in a car body as a power supply and an engine is started by cranking the engine using a rotation force generated by the starter motor. Typically, the starter motor is actuated when a driver inserts an ignition key into a keyhole of an ignition switch and turns the ignition key at a predetermined angle to thereby turn on the ignition switch. Recently, a device, which allows a driver to start an engine through a remote operation without being in the vehicle has been widely used. This device is used to start up an air conditioner before driving a vehicle in the winter or summer.
Also, a technique in which an engine starts by operating a switch without operating an ignition key has been put to practical use. For example, vehicles each having an engine starting mechanism, in which an ACC switch is turned on when a switch button is pressed once, an ignition switch is turned on when the switch button is pressed twice, and an engine starts when the switch button is pressed three times, have been sold.
On the other hand, upon receiving a start instruction from a transmitter or detecting that an engine start switch is pressed, an engine start control apparatus outputs a start instruction signal only when safety conditions are satisfied. Based on the start instruction signal, an ignition switch constituting a starting device is turned off, and a starter motor is driven to start an engine (for example, see JP Hei. 8-319927 A).
The safety conditions employed in outputting the start instruction signal include a condition that doors are closed and locked in order to prevent theft, a condition that a gearshift lever is in the parking position so that a car does not accidentally move in order to secure the safety, and/or a condition that a hood is closed in order to prevent an accident, which may occur while the hood is open for maintenance work.